1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to gaming devices, systems and methods for playing games of chance. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus, systems and methods for displaying and playing multiple games of chance of the same or varying types on a single display screen.
2. State of the Art
Gaming machines such as slot machines, keno machines and video poker machines are popular sources of entertainment that have been a cornerstone of the gaming industry for many years. Generally, the popularity of such gaming machines with players is dependent upon the entertainment value of the machine relative to other available gaming options, as well as the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of winning money at the machine. As a result, casino operators are constantly looking for ways to enhance the entertainment value and perceived payoff values of the games of chance located within their establishments.
Presently, factors contributing to increased entertainment value of gaming devices are linked to recent advances in microprocessor and communications technologies that enable new and interesting variations in traditional games of chance and gaming devices, including ease in accessing and playing the various games. For example, gaming devices have been networked together for tournament play and linked to the Internet to allow play from remote locations. Today, players may opt to swipe their credit or debit cards in a gaming device to initiate a game or a series of games, and video displays realistically simulate board games and the spin of mechanical reels on a slot machine. While player-enticing advances have been made, the available technology has not been utilized to the fullest extent possible.
Slot machines, while typically among the most lucrative sources of income for a casino, are one type of gaming machine that has not benefited as much as possible from recent technological advances. Traditional slot machines commonly in use are typically stand-alone devices intended to be played by a single player. To initiate play, a player inserts one or more coins or bills therein (or swipes a credit or debit card) and either pushes a button or pulls a lever to begin play. Depending on the final position of the spinning wheels within the slot machine, the machine determines whether or not and how much the player has won.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional gaming machine configured as a slot machine 20. Slot machine 20 comprises an exterior housing 22, a glass midsection 24, a main display 26, and an upper glass portion 28. Main display 26 includes windows 30, 32, and 34. In each of windows 30, 32, and 34 is a single reel 36, 38, 40 of the slot machine 20. Spanning windows 30, 32, and 34 are various paylines, including horizontal paylines 42, 44, 46 and diagonal paylines 48, 50. Upon the deposit of an appropriate amount of currency recognized by slot machine 20, one or more of the paylines 42, 44, 46, 48, 50 may be selected by a player, thus allowing for multiple winning combinations.
The upper glass portion 28 and glass midsection 24 typically contain printed information conveying various thematic, instructive, and informative details, such as a paytable display, relating to the operation of slot machine 20. Upper glass portion 28 and glass midsection 24 are also typically backlit so that information printed on them is readily visible to players of the slot machine 20. Play buttons 58 are provided between glass midsection 24 and main display 26 and allow the player to control operation of slot machine 20. A coin acceptor 60, bill acceptor/validator 62, and credit card/casino card input device 64 are provided near play buttons 58 for operation of slot machine 20. A coin tray 66 is provided near the lower third of slot machine 20 to collect coin pay outs resulting from winning plays.
One feature in reel-type slot machines which has been successfully employed to enhance the perceived payoff value of a game is that of multiple paylines, scatter-pay wins or unusually-shaped paylines. To achieve these various winning configurations, the mechanical reels of traditional slot machines have been replaced with video simulations of reels whose available range of indicia (e.g., symbols) are expanded by use of a microprocessor. Such games allow the player to select the number of paylines and to vary the amount of credits wagered on one or more paylines. Winning combinations resulting in pay outs are determined as a result of matching the game's paytable with payline or other winning combination of indicia selected by random number generation. Thus, such machines afford more opportunities to win with each activation of the reels. When placing bets on multiple paylines, the player increases his chances for achieving a winning combination while at the same time betting more money.
In further efforts to make slot play more attractive to casino patrons, systems have been disclosed which offer a plurality of slot machines which are electronically networked together and congregated about a common area. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,907 to Hagiwara et al. (“Hagiwara”), a system is disclosed in which a plurality of subordinate slot machines have their outputs connected to a main machine for controlling the game and having a large display thereon. The large display on the main machine is identical to the display shown on each subordinate machine, and allows the players and spectators to observe the progress and results of a game. Hagiwara teaches that the “feeling of togetherness” created by the networked system attracts more players and consequently brings about more profit to the owner of the slot machine.
To increase the opportunity to win, some players prefer to play several slot machines (or gaining machines of other various types) at once. With a higher number of spins per time period of play, the odds of at least one spin turning up a winning combination will be increased. Typically, a player playing two or more gaming machines at once will move back and forth between the machines to deposit money, wager credits, and initiate play. Since the player is playing multiple games at once, the amounts cumulatively wagered by the player will typically be greater. There are several disadvantages, however, to this mode of play. First, players may find moving between several machines inconvenient and ergonomically difficult, particularly when a player desires to engage in an increased rate of play. Second, during peak hours, players on multiple machines may prohibit other casino patrons from partaking in and enjoying games of chance on those “partially” occupied machines. Third, from a casino operator's point of view, multiple machines used for concurrent, but naturally slower play by a single player may take up valuable floor space that could otherwise be used to optimize revenues.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,962 to Takemoto (“Takemoto”) attempts to solve certain of the aforementioned disadvantages by disclosing a video slot machine display having multiple individual display parts which each make up a 3×3 display of indicia (each display part have nine symbols arranged to simulate three reels). In one exemplary embodiment, each of the display parts has five available paylines. Takemoto discloses that a player can select one or more individual display parts and any number of available paylines for simultaneous play. Takemoto also discloses betting lines extending to symbols spanning across two or more selected individual display. In a further embodiment, Takemoto discloses a method of play that may result in a “big win,” wherein each of a predetermined number of continuous display parts in the horizontal, vertical, or diagonal direction are determined to have individual wins. While advantageously providing new types of games and reducing floor space that might otherwise be used for multiple play by a single player, the disclosure of Takemoto is somewhat limited in terms of display options, player options, and in methods of play. For example, the device of Takemoto is restricted to slot machine play; all simulated reels are taught to be activated simultaneously; and the individual display parts are taught to be in fixed positions in an array on the gaming machine display.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,095 to Frohm et al. (“Frohm”), simultaneous multiple game play is extended to a variety of casino games, including video poker, bingo, keno, and reel slot machines. In one embodiment, multiple games of the same type are electronically shown on game boards arranged in a stack and displayed on a touch screen. The number of game boards to be played in the stack is selectable by a player, and winning game boards appear to pop-up from the stack in “cash-register-like. fashion.” Frohm teaches that the face of any particular game board is viewable by a player upon touching the game board on the touch screen display; when the game board is touched, it slides out from the stack to expose its face.
In another embodiment taught by Frohm, gaming machines for playing reel-type slots or video poker are disclosed which include multiple visual display sections (i.e., multiple areas on the gaming machine each display a game of chance). In the slot machine device of this embodiment, Frohm teaches that each visual display section includes its own set of rotatable reels and that each of the reel sets are simultaneously placed in motion upon pushing a “play” button or pulling a lever. A microprocessor then selects game outcomes for the reels and determines whether a winning combination has been achieved. Frohm further teaches that a primary set of reels on a first display may be stopped first in time and that a winning outcome of less than five symbols from the primary reel set may be automatically carried over to a second or third set of reels, etc. to give a player the opportunity to improve on a winning combination. In this embodiment, Frohm teaches that symbols from a winning combination are applied to a second reel set and that the remaining reels of the second reel set are thereafter stopped and a game outcome determined from the combination of the carried-over symbols and the remaining symbols of the second reel.
A similar scheme of multiple displays and carried-over game elements is disclosed by Frohm for the play of video poker. Similarly to Takemoto, the electronic gaming devices of Frohm provide new types of games and multiplay enhancements while making use of a minimal amount of casino floor space. Frohm, however, is also somewhat limited in the scope of games offered and in available player and display options. In particular, Frohm does not disclose mutually concurrent play of a plurality of differing games of chance on a single screen display.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,203,428 to Giobbi et al. also teaches an electronic gaming machine for playing multiple games of the same type substantially at the same time. Like one embodiment of Frohm, Giobbi et al. employs pop up game boards, each representing an individual game.
Various other electronic games and their methods and apparatus for use are also well-known in the art. Electronic games include games of chance, games of skill, and games involving both skill and chance. Examples of several patents describing games of chance include U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,536 to Davids et al. (electronic card games), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference, U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,716 to Saffari et al. (“falling symbol” game), U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,460 to Fulton (video poker game), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,820 to Morro et al. (slot machine-puzzle game combination).
In order to maintain a casino patron's interest in games of chance, there is a continuing need for gaming machine manufacturers to produce interesting and exciting game variations and attractive enhancements. In addition, casino operators constantly strive to increase profits by maximizing available floor space. Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for new gaming machines permitting concurrent play of multiple games on a single gaming device.